Baker’s Notes
August 2, 2021
For baguettes, I’ve gone to 100% Rouge de Bordeaux 00 flour, which is more expensive than Yecora Rojo but softer and more “extensible”. This means that it rolls more easily without snapping back. I’ve also incorporated a longer autolyse, which is kind of a pre-soaking of the flour before adding the leaven or salt. Folding has been compressed into the first hour and a half after mixing.
All these add up to a more uniform-looking baguette.
Leaven is being used “earlier” in the maturity process for sandwich breads and baguettes, resulting in less sour bread. The sourness is desirable in the Rustics but it could be overpowering in the sandwich breads. If you’re really missing the sourness, let me know!
July 20, 2021
removed whole wheat from pizza crusts (unintentionally); dough much more extensible so going to make that a thing
reduced baguette hydration further, to 65%. RdB can’t really handle much more water in this humidity and it’s very humid outside
2d try with rye; First go was pretty good; ED sandwich was under at the bottom and mottled on the sides so will reduce heat and bake longer. Also trying the Wren rye and one lidded. Rustic just needs more or better levain.
July 6, 2021
Altering Rustic process slightly - longer a/lyse, salt 30 mins after levain incorporation that’s younger
results: no discernable change on rustics
Also lowered hydration to baguettes back to last value and apply same process during bulk. Also baked asap after final shaping, results were noticeably higher and more open crumb. Lowering further, though, to improve shaping consistency
June 28, 2021 - Subscriptions
Lifting hydration in the white by 5% to 70%. Not sure why I lowered it in April and, in truth, I’ve been adding water to the mix for weeks now as I’m mixing. Given how humid it’s been, for the bread to dry out quickly is unacceptable.
Starting testing this week of the ‘dark magic’ rustic - hopeful.
Tues 29th - testing one Rustic with the leaven-ahead of salt, Tartine approach. Add the leaven to water, mix, then mix in the flour and let sit for 30 mins before adding salt. Also doing a control with the main group of 9 subscription Rustics
June 7, 2021: Market + Subscriptions
Morning brain resulted in adding too little water to the morning mixes so adjusted by feel - probably got it about right, although the whole wheat is wetter than normal. The afternoon levain was mixed with too much water (or too little flour) so added flour by feel, as well. Need to do some Marine-proofing on the process to keep that from happening again.
Baguettes yesterday were well-rounded and very well crumbed. Crust was taken to the limit, so they were more like small, rounded Rustics than baguettes. Will replicate everything but the long bake to make the crust thinner and tear-able
June 1, 2021: Off Market Subscriptions
Using Rouge de Bordeaux 00 for Rustics and baguettes this week. The aroma/flavor profile should be slightly more nutty and texture softer
Back-dated for Market Rustics - using just spray and no steam resulted in same oven spring. Should have tested this substantial time saver earlier! Maybe I’ll do a video on this, and the other Internet “rules” for bread baking I’ve disproved.
Increasing the hydration for the Farmers Heritage - not as high as the winter mix (when it’s much more dry) but slightly more than the last ones, which I think dried out too soon (4-5 days). So if you get a Farmers, if it’s still very moist after 3 days out, then slice and freeze to protect against sporing.
May 15, 2021: Market Day
Farmers were underbaked; discovered after getting through half of the sample bread. Ugh - perfectly proved but underbaked…Offering replacement plus refund to any folks who bought one.
May 11 - Subscription + Saturday Market
Eliminated S&F from post mix for Rustics and Baguettes - looking for slightly more open crumb; EDIT: got it - perfect combo of open/closed
Moved to 80-20 hard/soft flour for the Ridiculous, hoping to make them just a bit less cakey - also used 100% RdB 00 for the hard. EDIT: Too flat - going back to 70-30
Farmers Excellent: 3 hour bulk, LCF, 14-16 hours-check at <14 for overproofing - 16 near maximum with the cooler at the temps
Rustics - 15-15-20 only very slight S&F. Better crumb - really perfectly open/close combo
Market 1 May 2021
Farmers (half) over proved - really need to figure this out - it was the afternoon batch. Possibly just so hot and humid in here, or maybe the cooler was too variable. The morning batch turned out fine though. Baked after about 18-20 hours LCF; the afternoon batch was 16-18 hours +lcf.
Test: 22 April 2021
Baking 4, 60g ficelles. Need to optimize oven loading with these wee guys. I *think the first batch were 120g but can’t be sure. Regardless, they were too big and clumsy. I’m looking for something to dip into boursin, artichoke dips, etc., without needing to cut it - kind of like a delicious bread stick.
loading effed up! Can definitely bulk load vertically from the board but just need to be more careful. the 60g were done at 10 + 10, 475.
Cookout buns mix and bake today, 3 batches of 4 buns. Subbed Sonora for the yudane to add to the softness of the bun.
Subscription 20 April 2021
Prep on Mon/Tues for French flab issue: did one with shorter bulk with no discernible difference in breads and spring. I did tension the pre-shape more for both and used liners in the baskets - I’ll do both for today’s sub breads then test more later in the week. IG pic here of the 3hour. Both just slightly under so will actually extend bulk or LCP a bit.
Breads looked A+; good spring and medium open crumb. The preshape and liners brought me home.
Market Day Prep 14 April 2021
Big cooler too warm for >10 hour LCF - over proves. Luckily, I only put 4 breads in there for the first batch this am. I’ll keep one for us and discount the remaining 3
“Edging” the pizza crusts before bake is good
Weather is looking cool and iffy rain-wise
Farmer’s: steam unnecessary; spray at 0, 10 with pan above works just as well
french: slightly over; a little flabby. Not browning as well as normal - extremely humid out.
12 April 2021: Subscriptions
Duh! Prepared the overnight leaven using Monday’s number rather than Sunday’s. Had to draw 3 names to have theirs delivered Tuesday. Baker-proofed the sheet so that the leaven numbers are headed by the day!
Warm and humid for the day-proof: White-ish proved in 3 + .5 in the cold
Hydration %s same as last week (for more humid weather)
With a cancellation, I can do some buns and picnic breads today (tuesday)! Second attempt at buns will change the proving time and add the ending process for more tender crust.
Buns work! Consult notes - 4/3/1, spray 0, 10, 20; 425S for 20 then 375 for 20+; damp towel finish for softer crust
Picnic breads work! Out about 10 minutes sooner than the big weekday
moving back to a simple, repeatable scoring on the french. Defeated on the more elaborate designs unless I want to go to a low-rise bread, which I don’t.
7 April 2021: Subscriptions
40 degree LCF for 13 hours first batch of French - spring good but not spectacular
2 April 2021: Market Week
18 French
12 Old World Heritage
12 White-ish
12 Parson
16 Baguette
8 Ridiculous
Pullman breads with 5% lower hydration - humidity forecasted
Old Worlds nmt 4 per oven - lsf in small cooler
French lsf in big cooler, covered 4 with towel and cookie sheet instead of bags, about 45 degrees: first bake excellent; succeeding were flatter - possibly slightly over - moved remaining to the small cooler. Spray breads at 0 and 10 minutes
Ridiculous baked on Thursday, 3 dozen per vac-bag unrefrigerated
White-ish look amazing; wheats look a little over - sunken. Baked on the trays that were over them in the frigo - temp bumped to 475 for first 20 then down to 425 for remainder. Sprayed heavily at 0 and +10 with steam. Wheats needed to have been baked at 3 post bulk instead of refrigerated for another hour.